Namibia’s former world champion Harry Simon will start his comeback trail when he takes on Jevgenijs Kiselevs of Latvia in a Super Middleweight fight in London on Friday, February 19.
Announcing the news at a press conference in Windhoek on Tuesday, Ellison Hijarunguru of the Namibian Professional Boxing Board said that Simon would take on Kiselevs in a warm up bout before he challenges Charles Adams of Ghana for the Commonwealth Super Middleweight title.
Simon was originally supposed to fight Adams at the Hage Geingob Rugby Stadium in Windhoek on March 20, but according to Hijarunguru, the fight was postponed since the organisers insisted that Simon first needed a warmup fight before he could challenge for the Commonwealth title.
“The Commonwealth requested to first see Harry in action in England because he hasn’t fought in a long time,” Hijarunguru said.
“If he wins in London the idea is that he will challenge Adams for the Commonwealth Super Middleweight title in Windhoek, some time in March,” he added.
Kiselevs does not have a very impressive record, having won five and lost seven of his 12 pro fights to date. Simon, on the other hand, is a former two-time world champion and is still undefeated after 24 fights.
His last fight however, was nearly three years ago when he beat Stephen Nzuemba of Gabon on points over eight rounds.
In between he served a two-year prison term for culpable homicide following the deaths of three Belgian tourists in a motorcar accident in November 2002, and Simon was only acquitted in July 2009.
He has been training at the Peacock Gym in London for the past few months under trainer Tundi Ajayi.
According to Hijarunguru there was a lot of interest in Simon’s return, with the possibility of further fights in the United States if he remains unbeaten.
“Oscar de la Hoya of Golden Boy Promotions is very interested in Harry Simon and wants to bring him to Las Vegas, but Harry must first win the Commonwealth title,” he said.
Simon has been financially supported by a Namibian businessman Kiriata Kamanya, who will co-promote his Commonwealth title fight along with former British boxer Ricky Hatton, if he wins his comeback fight on Friday.
“If we stage the Commonwealth title fight in Namibia, Ricky Hatton will be the co-promoter of the fight. His team will come here and tape Harry’s fight and it will be televised throughout Europe on prime time,” Hijarunguru said.
He added that Horst Schnelle of F&H Promotions and Namibian musician Gazza would be part of the marketing team for the Commonwealth title fight.
The Deputy Minister of Sport Pohamba Shifeta wished Simon luck, saying that he was in constant contact with him.
“I talked to Harry before he left Namibia and I could see that he was very determined to fight and win. I told him that he must just focus on boxing now because age is also catching up with him now,” he said.
Simon, meanwhile, who has been hard at work preparing for his comeback was in confident mood, according to the boxing website boxingnewsonline.com.
“I have beaten the best in the world, so what does that mean? That means I must be around the best,” he explained. “I want to show the people that I am still around, can still fight, and can be champion again,” he said.
“I feel mentally strong, fit, and physically ready to fight again. I think I will be much better now, because I have rested, and I am hungrier than I was,” he added.